FIGHTING AGAINST GOD by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, Cal. · Nov 12, 1896

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 22, No. 45.

FIGHTING AGAINST GOD

By Editor

Religious Liberty Library

Is the title of a sixteen-page tract just issued as No. 41 of the In which PICTURE, POETRY, and PROSE unite in teaching Christian principles of freedom of conscience 7 FINE HALF-TONE ILLUSTRATIONS 7 The pages shown below are reduced facsimiles of pages 6 and 7 of this tract

FIGHTING AGAINST GOD.

CAN NATIONS CONTEND WITH GOD?

"At his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation."

For a nation to compel a subject to disobey the laws of a foreign nation, when it knows it is powerless to protect him in so doing, is but to murder its citizen in cold blood, and merit international contempt.

Will the government attempt to protect its citizens against the wrath of one offended God? Will it declare war on the King of kings? Can it marshal its hosts and hurl its serried columns against the Eternal City?

"WE OUGHT TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN."

"When they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people; he suffered no man to do them wrong: . . . saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm."

If God had intended that his children should submit to governments in matters of conscience, he would not have protected Daniel in the lions' den, the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace, nor have delivered Peter and John, Paul and Silas, from their prison cells, where they were placed for disobeying human enactments.

GOD AND THE POWERS THAT BE.

"RENDER therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's."

God has ordained that governments should exist among men. To these governments he has commanded his people to render tribute, honor, and respect. He has commanded them to be obedient to every ordinance of man, not for fear of punishment, but for the Lord's sake. So long as a government enforces ordinances of men, — such laws only as are necessary for the protection of men in the enjoyment of their equal, natural rights, — they will not come in conflict with the Christian.